NHSA

National Head Start Association

The National Head Start Association’s (NHSA) mission is to coalesce, inspire, and support the Head Start field as a leader in early childhood development and education. The NHSA Center on Advocacy leverages grassroots action, alumni- and parent-driven support, and a bipartisan strategy to ensure a successful and sustainable future for Head Start.

NHSA holds five conference and training events each year:

Parent and Annual conferences

Two leadership institutes and

A manager and director academy.

Each event offers unique opportunities for Head Start professionals and partners to actively learn from experts, collaborate with peers, and celebrate Head Start’s impact. Check out the NHSA events page for more on this and other professional development supports for early childhood professionals.

The Hamilton Project analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth and found, consistent with prior studies, that Head Start improves educational outcomes, increasing the probability that participants graduate from high school, attend college, and receive a post-secondary degree, license, or certification. Researchers also found that Head Start improves social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes, which becomes evident in adulthood measures of self-control, self-esteem, and positive parenting practices. Of particular note, they also found that Head Start participation increased positive parenting practices for each ethnic group and for participants whose mothers did not have a high school degree when compared with the outcomes of children who went to a preschool other than Head Start.

The Georgetown Study found that children who participated in Tulsa CAP Head Start as four-year-olds in the 2005-2006 academic year showed better outcomes in eighth grade. These students had significantly higher scores on the state math test, were less likely to be chronically absent, and were less likely to have repeated a grade. Some of these effects were even stronger amongst certain subgroups of students, like students of color and students who qualified for free lunch.

“These two new studies add to a robust body of research that shows The Head Start Advantage is significant and meaningful,” said National Head Start Association Executive Director Yasmina Vinci. “The Hamilton Project study is a terrific national affirmation of the long-term, positive effects of Head Start, and Tulsa’s CAP program is a case study in how local design and flexibility allows communities to tailor programs and maximize, long-term positive effects.